The book and I will appear at Way Back Weekend Ice Cream Social at Heritage Farm Museum and Village in Huntington, WV, on Saturday, July 4, 2015, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We will be situated near Thad McClung and his cannon. http://www.heritagefarmmuseum.com/ The book is titled “Blood in West Virginia: Brumfield v. McCoy” and details the Lincoln County Feud.

Isaac Adkins (1790-1854), my great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, was the Harts Creek community’s wealthiest resident and Logan County’s second-largest slave-owner as of 1850. His grave is located at the Adkins Cemetery in Harts, Lincoln County, WV. 2003

The Lorenzo D. Hill Family Cemetery, which I visited on 20 September 2013, is located across the Guyandotte River from Stone Branch in Logan County, West Virginia. Prior to the War Between the States, Lorenzo Dow Hill was a prominent resident and slave-owner in the Crawley Creek section of Logan County. This cemetery is also noteworthy in that it contains the final remains of numerous African-American residents. The cemetery can be accessed by following Sawmill Road, near Chapmanville.

From “Virginia and Virginians, 1606-1888,” published by H.H. Hardesty, we find this entry for Francis M. Harless, who resided at North Spring, West Virginia:

Son of Lorenzo D. and Elizabeth P. (Kelly) Harless, was born in Giles county Feb. 22, 1844. His parents were born and both died in this county, the father born Nov. 12, 1817, and died July 16, 1864; the mother born April 8, 1822, dying May 2, 1882. Francis M., the subject of this sketch, enlisted in the service of the Confederate States July 3, 1862, in Co. H, 45th Va. V. I., serving honorably and creditably until discharged on Oct. 15, 1864. On Feb. 22, 1866, he was joined in wedlock with Rachael Lockhart, who was born Aug. 15, 1845, their marriage being solemnized in McDowell county, W.Va. The offspring of this union have records as follows: Elizabeth, born Jan. 20, 1868, now married; Araminta J., Dec. 20, 1869; Millie E., May 8, 1871; James C., Jan. 29, 1873; Elias E., May 1, 1875; William H., Oct. 12, 1876; India I., Nov. 10, 1878; Dixie E., Aug. 18, 1880; Henry L., Sept. 29, 1883; Sarah M., born Nov. 3, 1885, and died Oct. 17, 1887p and Lucy A., born Oct. 15, 1888. The parents of Mrs. Harless were Bird Lockhart, who died April 15, 1851, and Jane (Staten) Lockhart, now residing in McDowell county, W.Va. Mr. Harless is a minister of the Gospel, and is engaged in farming: post office address, North Spring, W.Va.

The Baisden Family Cemetery, which I visited on 22 June 2014 is located 2.1 miles up Buck Fork of Harts Creek in Logan County, West Virginia. The Mathias “Tice” Elkins family, including Albert F. Gore (Elkins), originally used the cemetery. Today, it is best known as Troy Vance Cemetery. Troy Vance first married Emily Gore, granddaughter of Tice and Pricy (Mullins) Elkins, then married Almeda Baisden, daughter of Thomas and Josephine (Mullins) Baisden. Emily and Almeda were first cousins. Both of Troy’s mothers-in-law are buried in the cemetery (they were sisters), as are both of his fathers-in-law. Troy’s mother married first to Wash Vance, then to Albert F. Gore (Elkins); in other words, his widowed mother married his widowed father-in-law. The McCloud family connects to the cemetery through Albert F. Gore’s first wife, Sarah McCloud.

At West Virginia Writers Weekend, hosted by Tamarack, I was fortunate to meet author Kimberly Collins (“Simple Choices”) and her amazing family, who are descended from Hugh Dingess, an important character in my book. 27 June 2015

From “Virginia and Virginians, 1606-1888,” published by H.H. Hardesty, we find this entry for Henderson Grimmit, who resided at Man, West Virginia:

Was born in Logan county, W.Va., Jan. 28, 1854. His wife, Nancy (Hatfield) Grimmit, was born in Wyoming county Nov. 18, 1854; they were married Nov. 25, 1873, in Wyoming county, and have had four children, all of whom now live with their parents; Sanford, born April 15, 1875; Lillie B., born May 16, 1882; Rosa M., born Sept. 22, 1887; Etta Lee, born May 1, 1889. They are all intelligent, amiable children. Parents of Henderson Grimmit are: John Grimmit, who was born in Logan county Dec. 15, 1815, and died June 21, 1884; Nancy (Toler) Grimmit was born in Logan county Nov. 16, 1823, and still resides there; they were married in that county April 8, 1850. The subject of this sketch is a farmer and owns a beautiful home on Guyandotte River. His post office is Man, Logan county, W.Va.